


The Sanity Clause

by Johnlocked221b



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Codependency, Grief/Mourning, M/M, References to Killing Joke, You've been warned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-12-16 17:21:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11833440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Johnlocked221b/pseuds/Johnlocked221b
Summary: "You had a bad day and everything changed."





	The Sanity Clause

          This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen.

 

          This wasn’t how their game was supposed to end.

 

          When Joker died, there should have been an explosion. Time was supposed to stop and the world was supposed to just _know_ that something… _someone_ profound had left it.

 

          Instead, he fell. He hit the pavement below and he was gone. Just like that. Hell, he didn’t even scream. Or laugh. Joker would have laughed.

 

          He didn’t have time.

 

          If they’d been just a story or two higher, maybe Batman would have been able to catch him. If they’d been a story or two lower, maybe Joker would have survived.

 

          If. If. _If._

          But this was it. This was their reality. Joker was gone. It was over. All of that gleeful menace, his memories, plans, jokes, _everything_ …snuffed out like a candle.  Someone who was extraordinary in life should be afforded an extraordinary death. Joker’s death was quick and sudden. _Human_.

 

          Bruce stood frozen on the edge of the roof, looking down at Joker’s body. Blood was beginning to spread like a halo around his head. A halo he didn’t deserve. A halo Bruce had given him personally.

 

_Oh god, he’d_ killed _him._

          Bruce could still hear his laugh, echoing in his head. It bounced around his skull and tortured his heart.

 

_“Whatcha gonna do, Bats? You finally gonna kill little ol’ me?” A conversation they’d had hundreds of times, the same red smile. Bruce’s eyes drawn to the red of his lips and the darker crimson of his blood._

_“No.”_

_“No! You don’t kill, you paralyze! That’s loads better, Bats! Good for you!” He clapped, mouth pulled into a grin that gave Bruce goosebumps. And then he was in his face, snarling. “Maybe some of them would rather be dead.”_

_“That isn’t up to me.”_

_Joker’s impossible grin only grew wider. “Of course it is.”_

          Bruce removed his cowl and stared.

 

_It was an accident!_ His heart cried. _I just pushed him! I didn’t mean for him to go over!_

_But you did. You were having a bad day. You were frustrated and tired and Joker was way past your last nerve. You knew the risk you were taking and you took it. You turned off the light._

_What does Joker always say?_

_One. Bad. Day._

          Bruce started chuckling.

**Author's Note:**

> I am sorry D:


End file.
